Crafty Birds

The birds shown here in the field of arts & crafts are these artists' way of celebrating the various bird days and helping to promote avian awareness.

Annual Bird Days Throughout the Year

January 5 is National Bird Day. It was begun in 2002 by Born Free USA in coordination with the Avian Welfare Coalition.

May 5 is simply 'Bird Day'. In 1894, Charles Babcock of Oil City, Pennsylvania, a school superintendant, set this date to bring attention to the conservation of birds. It was the first bird holiday begun in the United States. In 1979, the United Kingdom began their own Bird Day, which is coordinated by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. On this date, up to half a million bird lovers spend an hour counting birds.

In the United States and Canada, the second Saturday in May is known as International Migratory Bird Day. Mexico, Central & South America, and the Carribbean celebrate this occasion on the second Saturday in October.

Since 2006, the second Saturday in May is also known as World Migratory Bird Day, established by the United Nations.

The main reason all this attention has been given to birds is due to the fact that nearly 12 percent of the world’s almost 10,000 bird species are in danger of extinction. So celebrate by bird-watching, studying birds, or educating others about other bird-related activities. You could also participate in bird adoption - which is often done on National Bird Day, January 5.

Some individual species of birds have their own 'days'.

Parrot

World Parrot Day is May 31. It was begun by the World Parrot Trust in 2004 to highlight the threats to wild Parrots around the world.

Inspired by World Parrot Day, I created a toy parrot in crochet to celebrate. Cute and cuddly, he measures over 11 inches tall. His wings and tail are each 5
inches long. Beak is 3.5 inches long. Plush parrot is a hugable
handful of delight for a child.

Bluebirds

A Blue Bird Day is defined as a beautiful sunny day after an overnight snowfall. It's a perfect skiing day with a clear blue sky, bright sun, and fresh snow. There are no individual holidays known as bluebird day, but September 24 is National Bluebird of Happiness day.

Celebrate 'happiness' with your own bluebird as home decor with this set of Bluebird Drink Coasters handmade by Coastal Crochet Crafts.A pretty set of mats for your tabletops in the colors of the mountain bluebird.

The Navajo identify the mountain bluebird as a spirit in animal form,
associated with the rising sun. Use these coasters as you have your
morning coffee and greet the new day, especially on one of the 'bird days' throughout the year.

Save the Eagles Day is January 10

Susan uses maple backed with walnut. She filled it with clear casting epoxy resin
which allows the color of the backing wood to show through the image. She then
attached a 4 inch long ball chain and a 32 mm split ring to securely
hold your keys.

The size of the oval is 1 3/8 inches high and 2 3/4 inches long.

Eagles are considered the "King of Birds", a common symbol in heraldry. The 'American Bald Eagle' is the national symbol of the United States and is only found in North America.

More special days set aside to recognize the birds we all enjoy. More about these 'days' coming soon.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Cute & Cuddly Black Cats & Bats in Plush

Plush Black Cat on Etsy

Black cats are no particular breed, or rather, can be from any breed or mixed breed. Simply stated, these felines are called 'Black Cats' because their fur is all black!Black cats have had superstitions attached to them in many cultures and are considered to be either 'good luck' or 'bad luck'. At some point in history, black cats were suspected of being the 'familiars' of witches and this may be why they are now associated with Halloween.Bats, on the other hand, are flying mammals. There are over 900 species of bats, but the only ones I like are Plush Bats! :)Lets take a tour through a world of plush black cats and 'not-so-scary' bats!

This cuddly black cat seen in the introduction photo is a perfect plush cat in crochet for a child's toy, a Halloween decoration, or anyone who loves black cats. He measures 7.5 inches in a sitting position and 10 inches tall overall and is cute and cuddly soft. He can be found in the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts!

Are You Superstitious About Black Cats?

Do you think they bring 'Good Luck' or 'Bad Luck'?

On the "Good Luck" side, several friends have given me their opinions:

BATS

The Best Kind of Bat - A Bat in Crochet!

If you are a crochet crafter, you could make a whole collection of toy bats with this darling pattern. A stuffed animal bat is the best kind of bat, in my opinion!

A clever crafter on Etsy creates adorable Amigurumi animal patterns from her home in Portugal. This crocheted bat pattern is just one of a wonderful group you will find in her Etsy shop she calls MevvSan. Check out all Mevlinn's patterns from a Sloth to a Unicorn to a Giant Squid. She has some quite unique and original patterns in her shop.

Unique Decor - A Bat Pillow

For a comfy soft spot for your head, or simply to decorate a sofa or chair for Halloween, you can't beat this handmade Bat-Shaped Pillow. This pillow is just one of a number of "Bat" pillows in a variety of colors and fabrics created by Theda of New York. She has a darling collection of bat pillows and other items in her Etsy Shop she calls Deflated Mouse.Made with black synthetic satin with bright red metallic bats flying hither and yon. It's like a mad house! Bat pillow measures approximately 18" x 8".

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Plush Pumpkins can be a Halloween decoration for a party, or a hugable toy stuffie for a child, or a lovely part of your Autumn decor.

Plush pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes, just like real pumpkins. Come browse this page of 'pumpkin patches' from Amazon and Etsy to see how many different plush pumpkins we can find.

*Kitty in Pumpkin seen here is a crochet pattern to make your own plush pumpkin with a kitty sitting inside and holding the top. This cute Halloween pumpkin pattern was created by Barbara of Cape Coral, Florida for her Etsy Shop BVOE668.

PUMPKINS

A large, edible, orange-yellow fruit of the gourd family.

Plush Pumpkin & Toy Squiggly Spider

A
little plush pumpkin crocheted in the Amigurumi style has safety eyes
for features and comes with a friendly squiggly yarn spider. Fun toys
for kids or cute Halloween party decorations.Handmade
in acrylic yarn and filled with a soft new fiberfil, these pumpkin toys
are fun for kids. The set can be found in the Etsy shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts.

Babies & Toddlers Love this Pumpkin Season too.

Plush Pooh Bear and Pumpkins... Fit Together Nicely for Halloween!The perfect plush pumpkin for a baby is a Teddy Bear version. As an 'Elf', I relate to the smallest people in our households! :-) Soft sweet teddy bears, especially in a 'Pooh Bear' style, let little ones join in the Halloween season.First in the Disney series of Halloween bean bags comes this adorable plush Pumpkin Pooh bean bag toy. Measures about 8 inches tall.

Don't Forget the Family Dog this Halloween!

For
Halloween (or anytime) fun, here's an adorable addition to any pup's toy
selection. Great for throwing and fetching games. Made of non-toxic material, this Halloween chew toy is currently one of the most popular with the dogs (and cats, too).Dogs Love Plush Pumpkins Too.

Enjoy Plush Pumpkins in all forms for any age group. Have a fun Pumpkin Season!

Oh how we love pumpkin season

You did know this gourd-ish squash has its own season, right? Winter, Spring, Summer, Pumpkin....We anxiously anticipate it every year.~Unknown Quote

Friday, September 16, 2016

Free Pattern to Crochet a Set of "Cheeseburger" Potholders for Summertime Grilling, Fall Football Tailgating, or Anytime!

I love to crochet and enjoy sharing with fellow fiber art crafters. Here is a free pattern to create five unique potholders and/or sturdy hot pads that -- when stacked together -- look like a cheeseburger! Perfect for summertime grilling, for camp cookouts, or for tailgating at sporting events.

Dress up your kitchen or store in your camper for all your summertime cooking with these fool-the-eye pot holders! Put on your kitchen shelf next to your stove for a conversation piece all year round. Easy to crochet with these simple directions.

*All photographs of crocheted cheeseburger potholders on this page are the property of (c) Wednesday Elf.

Cheeseburger Potholders in Crochet

- A Novelty Item that is also Practical and Useful

Set of Five Novelty Potholders

An easy pattern to crochet-for-the-kitchen (or patio). Each potholder is crocheted double-thick for extra protection. I used acrylic yarn for it's ease of handling and the fact that it is easily machine washable & dryable, but cotton yarn can also be used. This particular set I call a 'Cheeseburger' potholder can be varied with less or more pieces (leave off the cheese potholder and you have a 'hamburger' or add a green round potholder for 'lettuce'). The set shown here consists of five pieces -- top and bottom buns, hamburger, cheese slice and tomato slice. All potholders except the cheese slice are done in single crochet in the round and are quite simple to do, so it becomes a good 'take-along' project for busy crafters.

*Each potholder begins with a Basic Round listed below, with variations for individual pieces described later down the page.

Dark brown yarn, like this chocolate one, is used for the hamburger patty.

Cheese Slice Potholder

Cheese Slice Potholder

Cheese Slice Potholder is a Square!

The cheese slice is worked around the starting chain, making the front and back at the same time, then closing the top with a row of single crochet.

NOTE: Since rounds have a tendency to veer to the right (or left, if you crochet left-handed like me), stop every few rounds and pull work to the left (right) until stitches seem to be straight up and down.Instructions:

Rnd 1: With Yellow, ch 24, sc in 3rd chain from hook (turning chain counts as 1 sc), sc in next 20 ch, 3 sc in end ch, turn, working back side of chain, sc in next 21 ch, mark end of Rnd. (46 sc).

Rnds 2-24 (or until piece is square): Sc in each sc around.

Rnd 25: Holding both sides together, sc across top to close, fasten off.

Use a bright yellow yarn for your standard American cheese slice. If you want to get fancy, use a light yellow yarn for a different kind of cheese. In crochet, you can create anything you can imagine. :)

Tomato Slice Potholder

Tomato Slice Potholder

The seed effect of the tomato slice is made by bringing the hook through from the wrong side and working sc (reverse sts) with 2 regular sc separating each seed section. Each round is increased 6 sc as in the Basic Round, with increases always worked in the reverse sts (seed section) after Rnd 3 is completed.

Tomato Slice Potholder Instructions with Seed Stitch

Rnd 1: With Red, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, do not join rnds.

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around.

Rnd 3: *2 sc in next st, reverse sc in next st, repeat from * around (start of seed pattern).